Xpeng Is Back in Australia — But Can WA Buyers Trust It?

Xpeng has effectively hit the reset button on its Australian operation, announcing five new models in six months and shifting to factory-backed distribution. For WA buyers who've been watching this brand from the sidelines — or who already own a G6 — there's plenty to unpack here.

What's Actually Happened

Xpeng launched in Australia in 2024 through a local distributor called TrueEV, which had a five-year contract and claims it spent over $60 million establishing the brand here. The G6 SUV started arriving late 2024 — and it's still the only Xpeng model you can actually buy in Australia right now.

On January 1, 2026, Xpeng gave TrueEV notice it was cutting ties and going direct. TrueEV responded by launching Federal Court proceedings, publishing a detailed public rebuttal online, and the trial is now scheduled for October 2026. Meanwhile, there are two separate Xpeng websites operating in Australia simultaneously — xpeng.com.au (TrueEV's) and xpeng.com/au (Xpeng's own) — which is exactly as confusing as it sounds.

Xpeng vice chairman Brian Gu has been careful not to say much about the legal stoush, but did confirm Xpeng has honoured cashback promotions of up to $5,000 that TrueEV offered to customers. If you bought a G6 under one of those deals, that's a reasonable sign the brand isn't walking away from its obligations.

Five Models in Six Months — Should Perth Buyers Pay Attention?

Xpeng is promising a rapid product expansion — five new models by the end of 2026 — along with a broader network of stores, service centres, and parts depots. They're also flagging partnerships to develop charging infrastructure, which matters if you're in Perth and eyeing a longer run down to Margaret River or up to Geraldton.

For WA buyers, the service and parts network question is arguably more important than anywhere else in the country. When your nearest alternative dealership could be thousands of kilometres away, you need confidence that a brand can actually support you. Right now, Xpeng hasn't proven that in this market.

The BYD comparison is instructive. BYD also transitioned from local distributor EVDirect to factory-backed distribution after launching in 2022 — but that handover was far smoother, EVDirect stayed involved in the retail network, and BYD has since climbed as high as second on Australia's monthly sales charts. Xpeng is trying to do something similar, just with considerably more noise around it.

The Bottom Line for WA Buyers

If you're actively shopping for an EV right now, Xpeng probably isn't your most straightforward option in mid-2026. There's genuine legal uncertainty, a brand still rebuilding its local credibility, and only one model currently available. That's a thin offering for a market as geographically demanding as Western Australia.

That said, if the five-model rollout lands on time, the service network develops properly, and the court case resolves without further chaos, Xpeng could become a serious contender — particularly given the technology and pricing edge Chinese EVs tend to carry. Watch this space, but don't rush.